Please be aware that due to COVID-19, or the coronavirus, many upcoming events are being cancelled or postponed. Please check event websites or with event organizers for the most up-to-date information.
2020 Events
January February March April May June
July August September October November December
★ Livestock Conservancy Participating
★★ Livestock Conservancy Hosted
January 9-10 - The Minnesota Organic Conference will be held in St. Cloud, MN. 30+ breakout sessions on soils, crops, livestock, certification, marketing, & more. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/moc for more information.
January 14 - Planning Ahead for Farm Camps for Kids webinar. Presenters Samantha Gasson of Bull City Farm in NC and Ana Skemp of Deep Roots Community Farm in WI will share the challenges, rewards, and lessons learned they have experienced from their years running successful on-farm camps. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE51DB81874B3C.
January 22-25 - American Sheep Industry Annual Convention - Scottsdale, Ariz. - www.sheepusa.org
January 11-26 - The National Western Stock Show will be held in Denver, CO. This event features more than 15,000 head of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, alpacas, bison, yak, poultry and rabbits each year. Visit www.nationalwestern.com for more information.
January 17 - February 8 – The 123rd Annual Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will be held in Fort Worth, TX. The event features world-class livestock shows, kid-friendly exhibits, carnival/midway fun, live music, unique daily shopping and nightly rodeos. Over 1 million visitors and 22,000 head of livestock participate each year. Visit www.fwssr.com for more information.
January 22-25 - The Southern SAWG Conference "Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms" will be held in Chattanooga, TN. Visit www.ssawg.org for more information.
January 28 - Hosting a Farm School for Adults webinar. Offering intensive classes and conferences can be a great way to build capacity in other producers and share your wealth of knowledge. Our presenters are Karen Kopf of Kopf Canyon Ranch and Paul Dorrance of Pastured Providence Farmstead. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE51DB86834930.
February 4 - Pasture Management w/ Sarah Flack - Soil & Plants (Part 1) webinar. Join FACT and grazing expert Sarah Flack for part 1 of a 3-part series on pasture management strategies. This session will focus on the soil and plant perspective. Each session in this series requires a separate registration. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE52DF85824E3C
February 5-8 - The PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference will be held in Lancaster, PA. Visit www.pasafarming.org/conference or call 814-349-9856 for more information.
February 8 - Lambing Q&A Bellingham, Washington. For information, email lydiasflock@gmail.com or call 320-733-4127.
February 11 - The Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference will be held in Raleigh, NC. For more information, visit https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/oclc/ or call 919-542-2402.
February 13-15 - The Annual Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) Conference "A Climate for Change" will be held in Dayton, OH. Sustainable food and farming workshops, a trade show, from-scratch meals, a kids' conference, childcare, and keynote speakers. Visit www.oeffa.org/conference2020 for more information.
★ February 15-16 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Belton, TX. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
February 18 - Pasture Management w/ Sarah Flack - Livestock (Part 2) webinar. Join FACT and grazing expert Sarah Flack for part 2 of a 3-part series on pasture management strategies. This session will focus on the livestock perspective. Each session in this series requires a separate registration. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE52DF85824D3F.
March 3: Pasture Management w/ Sarah Flack - Graziers’ Toolbox (Part 3) webinar. Join FACT and grazing expert Sarah Flack for part 3 of a 3-part series on strategies for pasture management. This session will discuss tools and strategies for pasture improvement. Each session in this series requires a separate registration. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE52DF85824C3E
March 6-8 - The Organic Growers School Spring Conference will be held in Mars Hill, NC. 70+ sessions per day: practical, affordable, regionally-focused workshops on growing, permaculture, homesteading, and urban farming. Trade show, seed exchange, kid’s program. Visit www.organicgrowersschool.org for more information.
March 12: Pig-Poultry Rotational Grazing webinar. Lee Rinehart of NCAT/ATTRA will discuss how to manage your pigs and poultry in a rotational grazing system to benefit the health of the land and of the animals. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE51D68884493B.
March 18: Livestock Compass - A Profit Management Tool for Producers webinar will be held. Learn about Livestock Compass, a spreadsheet tool that helps livestock producers measure profitability and identify ways to improve financial outcomes. Our presenters are John Hendrickson of the U. of Wisconsin and grassfed beef producer Jim Munsch. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE51D68883473C
March 25 - Trees for Livestock Food and Medicine Join Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) to learn about the medicinal and feed values these trees can offer ruminant livestock, and methods for managing them on your landscape. Our presenter is Steve Gabriel from Wellspring Forest Farm in NY. He is also an agroforestry extension specialist for the Cornell Small Farm Program. Register at http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE51D88785493C
April 17 and April 24 - Sheep and Grapes Workshop from Fibershed. A free, 2-part online workshop about the production, soil health, and climate benefits of integrating sheep into the vineyard. Hear from Wine Country farmers, as well as university and extension specialists. https://fibershed.org/event/sheep-grapes-online-workshop/
April 29 and April 30 - Exploring Pastured Pork: A Virtual Intro to Niche-Pork Production. Have you thought about raising pigs? Whether you want to raise pigs for you and your family or as a business, join the N.C. Cooperative Extension for this workshop to explore the basic considerations you must contemplate before starting a Pastured Pork Enterprise. There is no registration fee, but registration is required. Choose the session that fits your schedule best and register online at https://davidson.ces.ncsu.edu/events/
Mother Earth News Online - Details coming soon.
★ May 4-11 - 2020 Home Grown Food Summit will be held online, where participants can watch from home as 36 expert-led presentations reveal the best secrets for growing your own food. Visit https://www.homegrownfoodsummit.com/registration/ for more information and to register.
★ May 16-17 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Nashville, TN. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information. This event has been postponed until May 2021.
★★ May 17-23 - International Heritage Breeds Week will be held worldwide to raise awareness of endangered Heritage breeds of livestock and poultry. Heritage breed farmers and the public are encouraged to spread the word throughout their networks. The week of awareness culminates with Heritage Breeds Day where many farms, ranches, and organizations will hold local events such as farm tours, workshops, or lectures to raise awareness in their communities. Visit www.HeritageBreedsWeek.org to learn more.
May 21 - On-Farm Dairy Processing webinar for farms interested in learning more about direct milk and value-added product sales from Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops and Harvest New York Programs, with New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Register for this free virtual learning opportunity at https://tinyurl.com/y8zxaozz
June 6 - The SVF Annual Visitors Day will be held in Newport, RI. Take free self-guided tours through the historic Swiss Village, peek into the state-of-the-art facilities and meet the SVF laboratory, veterinary, and animal care staff, visit Chip, a rare Tennessee myotonic goat born from a frozen embryo, and learn about other endangered breeds of livestock, attend live cryogenics and sheep shearing demonstrations, and shop SVF’s selection of farm products and heritage breed meat. Visit http://www.svffoundation.org/ for more information.
June 15-20 – The Sheep is Life Festival will be held in Shiprock, NM. Visit http://navajolifeway.org for more information.
July 10-12 - The American Cream Draft Horse Association Annual Meeting will be held in Spokane, WA. Details will be posted at www.acdha.org.
★ July 17-18 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held at Polyface Farm in Swoope, VA. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
September 9-12 - The 2020 Rocky Mountain Horse Association International Grand Championship Horse Show will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Visit https://www.rmhorse.com or email executivedirector@rmhorse.com for more information.
★ September 25-27 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Seven Springs, PA. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
October 3-4 - The 2020 Taos Wool Festival will be held in Taos, New Mexico. Visit http://taoswoolfestival.org/ for more information.
October 3-4 - The 2020 Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival will be held in Tunbridge, VT. Visit www.vtsheepandwoolfest.com for more information.
October 5-11 - The American Dairy Goat Association National Convention will be held in Liverpool, New York. Visit http://convention.adga.org/ for more information
★★ December 31 - DEADLINE to update information and submit ads for the Livestock Conservancy's 2021 Rare Breeds and Products Resource Guide. If needed, log in to update your information online here. Email Ryan Walker or call 919-542-5704 for more information about advertising in the directory.
Have an event you'd like to add? Email Brittany to submit it here.
2020 Events
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2019 Events |
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| January | February | March | April | May | June |
| July | August | September | October | November | December |
Have an event you'd like to add? Email Ryan to submit it here.
★ Livestock Conservancy Participating
★★ Livestock Conservancy Hosted
2019 Events
January
January 10-11 - The Minnesota Organic Conference will be held in St. Cloud, MN. 30+ breakout sessions on soils, crops, livestock, certification, marketing, & more. Featured speakers: Sean Sherman, Founder/CEO of the Sioux Chef, and Mary Jo Forbord, Farmer and Registered Dietician. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/moc for more information.
January 12-27 - The National Western Stock Show will be held in Denver, CO. This event features more than 15,000 head of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, alpacas, bison, yak, poultry and rabbits each year. Visit www.nationalwestern.com for more information.
January 18 - February 9 – The 123nd Annual Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will be held in Fort Worth, TX. The event features world-class livestock shows, kid-friendly exhibits, carnival/midway fun, live music, unique daily shopping and nightly rodeos. Over 1 million visitors and 22,000 head of livestock participate each year. Visit www.fwssr.com for more information.
January 18-19 - The 23nd Annual Vermont Grazing and Livestock Conference will be held at Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, VT. Visit https://www.uvm.edu/~pasture/conference.html for more information.
January 20-22 - The APPPA Pastured Poultry Conference will be held in Greenville, TX. visit www.apppa.org/Conference or call (888) 662-7772 for more information.
January 23-26 - The American Sheep Industry Association Convention will be held in New Orleans, LA. Visit https://www.sheepusa.org/Events_2019Convention for more information.
January 23-26 - The EcoFarm Conference "Resilience is Fertile" will be held in Pacific Grove, CA. Visit www.eco-farm.org for more information.
January 23-26 - The Southern SAWG Conference "Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms" will be held in Little Rock, AR. Visit www.ssawg.org for more information.
January 24-27 - The Northern Plains Food & Farming Conference will be held in Fargo, ND. visit https://www.npsas.org/npsas-calendar/2019-npsas-winter-conference/2019-npsas-winter-conference-2/ for more information.
January 31 - February 2 - The Grazing Conference will be held by GrassWorks Inc. in Wisconsin Dells, WI. Visit www.grassworks.org/events/grazing-conference/ or call for more information.
February
February 2 - A New Hampshire Dairy Goat Seminar Dairy Goat Herd Health will be held at the Annual NH Farm and Forest Exposition in Manchester, NH. Visit www.nhfarmandforestexpo.org for more information.
February 6-9 - The PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference will be held in Lancaster, PA. Visit www.pasafarming.org/conference or call 814-349-9856 for more information.
February 7 - The Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference will be held in Raleigh, NC. For more information, visit https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/oclc/ or call 919-542-2402.
February 14-16 - The 40th Annual Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) Conference "Just Farming: The Path Before Us" will be held in Dayton, OH. Sustainable food and farming workshops, a trade show, from-scratch meals, a kids' conference, childcare, and keynote speakers. Visit www.oeffa.org/conference2019 for more information.
★ February 16-17 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Belton, TX. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
March
March 8-10 - The Organic Growers School Spring Conference will be held in Asheville, NC. 70+ sessions per day: practical, affordable, regionally-focused workshops on growing, permaculture, homesteading, and urban farming. Trade show, seed exchange, kid’s program. Visit www.Organicgrowersschool.org for more information.
April
★★ April 9 - A special dinner featuring Meishan pork will be held in Brooklyn, NY. The Livestock Conservancy is partnering with Insa Korean BBQ in Brooklyn, NY to present a 6 course, family style Meishan pork tasting menu. Proceeds from this event will be donated to The Livestock Conservancy. Click here for more information.
April 25-27 - The Pacific Overland Expo and Auction will be held in McMinnville, OR. Horse drawn vehicle & equipment auction, blacksmithing, leatherworking, stagecoach rides, vendors, and more. For more information, visit www.pacificoverlandauction.com, call 503-434-7524, or email carrolll@co.yamhill.or.us.
★ April 27-28 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Asheville, NC. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
May
★★ May 19-25 - International Heritage Breeds Week will be held worldwide to raise awareness of endangered Heritage breeds of livestock and poultry. Heritage breed farmers and the public are encouraged to spread the word throughout their networks. The week of awareness culminates with Heritage Breeds Day where many farms, ranches, and organizations will hold local events such as farm tours, workshops, or lectures to raise awareness in their communities. Visit www.HeritageBreedsWeek.org to learn more.
May 25 - The 2019 Spring Heritage Breeds Festival will be held in Riceville, TN. Several different Heritage breeds will be on display, as well as vendors of soaps from artisans who source local ingredients, candles, food goods, and more. Visit https://buchanansbarnyard.com/2019-spring-heritage-breeds-festival for more information.
June
★ June 1-2 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Frederick, MD. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
June 8 - The SVF Annual Visitors Day will be held in Newport, RI. Take free self-guided tours through the historic Swiss Village, peek into the state-of-the-art facilities and meet the SVF laboratory, veterinary, and animal care staff, visit Chip, a rare Tennessee myotonic goat born from a frozen embryo, and learn about other endangered breeds of livestock, attend live cryogenics and sheep shearing demonstrations, and shop SVF’s selection of farm products and heritage breed meat. Visit http://www.svffoundation.org/news/2018-annual-visitors-day/ for more information.
June 14-15 – The Sheep is Life Celebration will be held in Shiprock, NM. Visit http://navajolifeway.org for more information.
July
July 5-7 - The Black Sheep Gathering will be held in Albany, OR. Visit www.blacksheepgathering.org for more information.
July 11 - A Poultry Farmer Workshop will be held in Davis, CA. University of California Cooperative Extension and partners including NCAT will present an evening workshop. Presentations will include an overview of pastured poultry production, a talk on management of pastured poultry flocks as well as design and material considerations for coops for small flocks raised in a free-range or pastured poultry environment, and discussion of food safety with regard to pastured poultry production, including Salmonella control and appropriate regulations. Visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/events/ for more information.
July 25-27 - Grasstravaganza 2019 will be held in Cobleskill, NY. The 2019 theme “Health and Resiliency from Soil to Table” will cover the importance of grazing livestock with a Soil to Table perspective and includes both regional and national speakers to include, Dr. Elaine Ingham, microbiologist and soil biology researcher and founder of Soil Foodweb Inc. as well as workshops, hands-on learning at the college farm, and local farm tours. Visit https://web.cobleskill.edu/grasstravaganza for more information.
August
★ August 3-4 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Albany, OR. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
August 12-14 - The Nebraska Grazing Conference will be held in Kearney, NE. Visit https://grassland.unl.edu/ for more information.
September
September 5-7 - The 2019 Rocky Mountain Horse Association International Grand Championship Horse Show will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Visit https://www.rmhorse.com or email executivedirector@rmhorse.com for more information.
★ September 13-15 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Seven Springs, PA. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
September 19-22 - The Spanish Barb Horse Association Annual Meeting will be held in Faywood, NM. Visit http://www.spanishbarb.com or email info@SpanishBarb.com for more information.
September 27-29 - Second Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional American Milking Devon Show & Card-Grading at the Virginia State Fair, Doswell, VA. Contact Richard Larson, oldgjerpenfarm@yahoo.com for more information.
September 28-29 - The Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival will be held in Canby, OR. The festival includes workshops, demonstrations, livestock shows, seminars, and kids' activities. Visit www.flockandfiberfestival.com for more information.
October
October 5-6 - The 2019 Taos Wool Festival will be held in Taos, New Mexico. This years festival includes: An outstanding regional wool market, Fiber Critter Corner that includes live sheep, alpacas, goats, angora rabbits, and more, demonstrations of spinning, dyeing, shearing sheep and many other fiber related skills, Juried Shows for handspun yarn, hand dyeing, fleeces (wool and alpaca), and finished garments and home accessories, a silent auction, hands-on activities for kids of all ages, workshops before the festival weekend, food vendors offering regional lamb, and other delicious choices, and live music. Visit http://taoswoolfestival.org/ for more information.
October 5-6 - The Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival will be held in Tunbridge, VT. The event celebrates small farms and natural fiber with over 70 vendors offering fleece and yarn, fiber animals, handspinning and fiber crafting equipment and supplies, handcrafted wool items and local meat and cheese. The Festival includes contests, fiber arts classes and demonstrations, shepherd workshops, herding and shearing demos, fleece sale and more set against a backdrop of rolling hills during the peak of Vermont fall foliage. Visit www.vtsheepandwoolfest.com for more information.
October 6-7 - The Carolina Meat Conference: The Future of Local Meats will be held in Charlotte, NC. Visit https://carolinameatconference.com or call 252-651-1276 for more information.
★ October 19-20 - The Mother Earth News Fair will be held in Topeka, KS. This fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops on everything from beekeeping to using solar electricity. Visit www.motherearthnewsfair.com for more information.
★★ October 25-26 - The Heritage Livestock Conference will be held in Santa Rosa, CA. Click here for more information.
November
November 1-3 - The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Sustainable Agriculture Conference - Durham, NC - https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org
November 1-2 - Ozark Fiber Fling - Steelville, Mo. - www.ozarkfiberfling.com
November 2 - Fourth Annual Mountain State Bred Ewe and Doe Sale plus the High Road Sheep Flock Reduction Sale - Tri-County Fairgrounds in Petersburg, W.V. - www.wvsheepandgoatsale.com.
November 2-3 - Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Association State Meeting - Curtis, Neb. - www.nebraskasheepandgoat.org
November 2-3 - The Fiber Festival of New England - Springfield, Mass. - www.easternstatesexposition.com/p/fiberfestival
November 7-10 - Dairy Sheep Association of North America Symposium - Idaho Falls, Idaho - www.dsana.org
November 8-9 - Washington State Sheep Producers Convention - Vancouver, Wash. - www.wssp.org.
November 9 - Wool 101 Course - Bellingham, Wash. - lydiasflock@gmail.com or 320-733-4127.
★ November 9-10 - The Ohio National Poultry Show - Columbus, OH - http://www.ohionational.org
November 9-10 - Small Ruminant Management and Fiber Conference - Ithaca, N.Y. - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-small-ruminant-management-and-fiber-conference-tickets-61240114832
★ November 16 - American Milking Devon Cattle Association Judging Clinic - Remsen, NY - Please RSVP to: johnandbonniehall610@comcast.net by November 8th.
November 22-24 - Blade Shearing School with Doug Rathke and Kevin Ford - Hutchinson, Minn. - Call 320-587-6094 or email info@lambshoppe.com
November 23-25 - Shearing and Wool Classing School - Hettinger, N.D. - christopher.schauer@ndsu.edu
December
December 6-7 - Missouri Livestock Symposium - Kirksville, Mo. - www.missourilivestock.com
★★ December 10 - The Livestock Conservancy's 2019 Annual Members Meeting will be held online and by phone.
December 13-14 - Buckeye Shepherd's Symposium - Wooster, Ohio - www.ohiosheep.org
December 13 - National Day of the Horse takes place across the country. The goal is to encourage the people of the United States to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States. Visit www.nationaldayofthehorse.com for more information.
★★ December 31 - DEADLINE to update information and submit ads for the Livestock Conservancy's 2020 Breeders and Products Directory. If needed, log in to update your information online here. Email Ryan Walker or call 919-542-5704 for more information about advertising in the directory.
